That Deer was Forked

It Was a pristine fall day in 1999 and I was slipping out a ridge line on the Tennessee side of Land Between the Lakes. The moon was not full but so bright that my mini mag light was more for warning other hunters of my approach than for finding my way. I was on a meat mission, Doe tags in hand I climbed the tree stand I had hung the previous day. It overlooked a trail heading from some dense bedding to a stand a white oaks, Looked like a cattle trail. I didn't have to sit long before I saw the long head of an old doe poking out of the thick brush. I looked through the Simmons tip-over scope on my Remington 30-06. only the doe and me existed in the world for the moment leading to the trigger pull. "BOOM" I let lead fly and the woods exploded with deer jumping, bounding, and running in seemingly all directions. I had not seen any of the other deer prior to shooting the doe. They could have been bucks, fawns, or more does I should have been more aware of my surroundings. I had no Idea where my dear ran in all the confusion so I slid down the tree almost in a panic hoping to find blood (you should always wait at least 30 minutes kids). Instead of blood I found an astonishing sight, My doe was stuck in the fork of a small maple tree. I hate that I had forgot my camera but was glad I remember my hand saw. That deer was not mortally wounded and would have gotten away but she got forked.